Move over Ginny Weasley! Harry Potter is having a baby. Well, at least Daniel Radcliffe is. The Harry Potter actor announced in March 2023 that he and girlfriend, Erin Darke, are expecting their first child together. It's hard to believe that "The Boy Who Lived" has grown up to now have his own child— and with Darke, a Muggle (so far as we know) who he has been in a long-term relationship with for a decade.
Radcliffe joins a troupe of child actors like Keke Palmer, who welcomed her first child in February with boyfriend Darius Jackson, and Lindsay Lohan who is expecting her first child with husband Bader Shammas, who have grown up before our eyes and are finally landing their next major role: parenthood. With the awesome news of Radcliffe's new baby, it's only natural to be wonder about his baby mama. After all, Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke have kept a relatively low profile as a celebrity couple, how could we not be curious about them. Here's everything we know about Daniel Radcliffe's girlfriend, Erin Darke, and their baby on the way.
10 Who Is Daniel Radcliffe's Girlfriend, Erin Darke?
Erin Darke (whose full name is Erin Constance-Maja Darke) is an American actress originally from Flint, Michigan. The actress was only 16 when she enrolled in the University of Michigan-Flint, from which she graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theater performance in 2005.
She's acted in films including the Beach Boys biopic Love & Mercy and Oscar-nominated Still Alice. In television, she's taken on recurring roles in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Good Girls Revolt.
9 How Did Erin Darke Get Into Acting?
As with many aspiring actors, Erin Darke's journey to professional acting took a few turns before she got to where we see her today. After graduating from the University of Michigan-Flint, the actress headed to New York City, where she dabbled in a few small scale plays.Upon realizing that she had much to learn about the entertainment industry, the actress snagged an internship at a casting office and soon began working there full-time, and soon went on to serve as a casting associate on numerous projects including The Carrie Diaries, The Wolverine and Noah.
"I really enjoyed the job. I learned so much about the industry and auditioning and I got to work with these amazing directors on incredible projects," Darke recalled in an interview with her alma mater.. It was great, but I knew my heart was still in acting, so I am back to pursuing that full-time.".
8 How Did Erin Darke And Daniel Radcliffe Meet?
The pair have been dating for a little over a decade and actually met on set— and no, it wasn't while Daniel Radcliffe was filming Harry Potter. The lovebirds' romance bloomed on set in 2012 while filming for their film Kill Your Darlings. In an interview with People, Radcliffe referred to Erin Darke as the "love of his life" and, reflecting on a love scene between their characters in the film, thought it would make an interesting story to tell their kids someday. Talk about a full-circle moment.
7 Daniel Radcliffe Welcomes Newborn Baby With Erin Darke
"It'll be a hell of a story to tell our kids one day because of what our characters do with each other," Radcliffe told People, referencing their love scene. "Our characters are meeting and flirting with each other, so there is this kind of sweet record of us just meeting for the first time and flirting."
6 Why Daniel Radcliffe Likes Erin Darke
Sure, Daniel Radcliffe is a superstar actor from one of the most successful film franchises ever. But, really and truly, he is kind of a nerd. In fact, the actor has always as though he would have to conceal his nerdiness when it came to dating. But, upon meeting Darke the Harry Potter actor realized that he could be is full, authentic self with her.
"I grew up doing lots of things where I thought, 'This is super nerdy. I'll never be able to do this around a girl.' But that's the wonderful thing about the moment you find the relationship you're meant to be in. It's like, 'Oh, I can do all of that stuff and you don't mind. And you actually think it's fun, too. This is fantastic!'" Radcliffe said in an interview with Metro.
5 Daniel Radcliffe And Erin Darke Share The Same Guilty Pleasure
Stars— they're just like us, right? It would appear that way after Daniel Radcliffe opened up about a newfound obsession that he and his baby mama love to partake it: binging reality television. When the Lost City actor stopped by The Kelly Clarkson Show in March 2022, he spilled the beans when asked if he had any "guilty pleasures".
"I don't really believe in 'guilty pleasures.' At one time I would have referred to my love of reality TV and The Bachelor as a 'guilty pleasure,' but I now just have to admit that I'm unironically enjoying it," he said. "So I guess that."
The actor shared that listed Netflix's Love Is Blind series is another favorite that he has become invested in, and that Erin Darke is the reason he got hooked initially. "Erin got me into it initially, but now I have to own the fact that I'm also like, 'Hey, you wanna put on Love Is Blind?'" the actor shared.
4 Do Daniel Radcliffe And Erin Darke Like Working Together?
The lovebirds got to share the screen again in 2021, when Daniel Radcliffe got the chance to collaborate with Erin Darke on an episode of his comedy series Miracle Workers. And while they enjoy the opportunity to work together, the actor expressed that it's not something needs to be a frequent occurrence.
"We definitely like [working together], but it's not something we want to do all the time," he told PEOPLE. "We obviously met on film and so getting to do stuff on Miracle Workers with her last year was incredibly special and felt lovely. Hopefully we'll get to do more in the future, but we also both write, so maybe we'd write something together at some point, and that would be cool."
3 How Do Daniel Radcliffe And Erin Darke Feel About Fame?
To obtain fame and notoriety in Hollywood might seem like the dream for some, but for Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke, it's not all it's cracked up to be. The pair have become known for their relatively low-key status and privacy in their relationship.
In an interview with Vulture, Darke said, “Dating a famous person teaches you very quickly that s*** is weird sometimes. People are weird with fame sometimes.”
Radcliffe, no stranger to stardom— after being catapulted to fame when he starred in the Harry Potter film franchise— shared that he wants his future children find a home on film sets over fame.
“I want my kids, if and when they exist … I would love them to be around film sets. Film sets are wonderful places. I think a lot of the time it can be wonderful for kids. But it’s really the fame side of it that should be avoided at all costs,” he told Newsweek.
2 Daniel Radcliffe And Erin Darke Announce They're Expecting Their First Child
Fans were overjoyed when the couple confirmed to People that they were expecting their first child together. Per Us Weekly, Daniel Radcliffe, 33 and Erin Darke 38, are ecstatic about their baby on the way.
“Daniel and Erin are absolutely overjoyed about the pregnancy,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “It’s a dream come true! They’ve been proudly showing photographs of the ultrasound to their closest family and friends.”
Harry Potter costar and pal Rupert Grint, who played Ronald Weasley in all eight films alongside Radcliffe, is reportedly so excited for his friend, as they will both be fathers. The Servant star, 34, welcomed daughter Wednesday, 2, with partner Georgia Groome in 2020. “[He] FaceTimed Daniel to catch up and jokingly gave him dad-to-be tips, and they’re planning to meet up when the baby is born!” the source told Us.
The pair have been proactive in preparing for their child. Sources say that Darke is "attending birthing classes" and that "they’ve bought a stack of baby books for beginners, so they’re up to speed on what to expect.” The source also confirms that Radcliffe has prioritized their diet as they prepare for the pregnancy and "taking a hand-on approach in the kitchen — cooking vegetables and Folic acid-based dishes.”
1 The Erin Darke And Suzanne Seddon Drama And Why People Are Saying She's Transgender
With all the exciting news of a baby on the way, comes some not-so-exciting critique of the couple. The pair had recently been targeted in a tweet by author Suzanne Seddon who posted a photo of the couple together with the caption, "This is Daniel Radcliffes (Harry Potter) Girlfriend. Now what do you see?”" alongside a “woozy” emoji.
Actor Sean Biggerstaff, one of Radcliffe’s Harry Potter co-stars —who portrayed Oliver Wood in the franchise—, tweeted his disgust at Seddon, responding to her “question” with “I see you being a lowlife.”
Many fans were angered because they believed Seddon's tweet insinuated that Darke was actually a transgender. Her comment was believed to be inspired by the fact that Darke is taller than Radcliffe, and because she has strong, striking features.
Back in 2018, Darke opened up about her body in TODAY Style's "Why I Love My" series. The former lifeguard learned to embrace her shoulders which people had previously labeled "broad", and even expressed that she thought muscles on women were sexy.
"I don't think women are discouraged from being athletic, necessarily, but I think there's a very specific type of athleticism. Like, you're supposed to work out to have a Barbie body but you're somehow not supposed to look strong. Whereas, I think muscles on women are so sexy. I work out for the feeling of being strong. I think looking strong is so cool." she said.
Seddon's Twitter account has since been changed to private following backlash over her comments on Darke.
